The aswaran wore
chainmail armor, and ranged from
archers to
cataphracts. They mastered in single combat in battles (
mard o-mard), rode on
elephants and horses, and their valor was recognized with ornamental emblems. Titles such as
hazārmard ("whose strength is equal to one thousand men"),
zih asbār ("superior rider"), and
pahlawān-i gēhān ("hero or champion of the world"), were their epithets. They wrote the name of the Sasanian emperor and their valuable family members on their arrows as a good omen. They outperformed others in archery to the extent that later writers thought that they had introduced the profession. They were superior and unmatched in the profession, which was even acknowledged by their enemies. The major effectiveness of the Sasanian cavalry was noted by contemporaneous Roman writers, including
Ammianus Marcellinus, and led the Romans to adopt aspects of Sasanian cavalry including their arms, armour, and techniques.
Armor " or Military Commander The
asbaran during this early period had much in common with their Parthian (Arsacid) predecessors, most of whom would have worn a
scale armor cuirass with long sleeves and
chaps covered in
scale armor or, less often,
plated mail. Their helmets, of the
Spangenhelm type, would have been adapted throughout the
Sasanian period. Also horses would probably have had armored chests and heads, consisting of an
apron and
headpiece, or total body protection consisting of five separate pieces, made from either
boiled leather or
scale armor. Some
asbaran units such as mercenaries may have worn little to no armor at all, allowing them to be rather more swift, silent, and mobile.
Spangenhelm The
Spangenhelm helmets worn by members of the
asbaran units in battle would have evolved through the centuries. During the 3rd to 6th century AD of the Sassanian empire, the
Spangenhelm would have probably been made of felt and hardened leather. However, by the late 6th to early 7th century AD, they would have been decorated with flowers and purple ball with mail and small areas through which to breathe and see.
Weaponry The
asbaran cavalry was armed with a variety of weapons. The traditional heavy cavalry weapons, such as
maces,
lances, and
swords would have been used, as well as a variety of other weapons, such as axes.
Asbaran cavalry were not, however, restricted to short-range weapons, as they often carried weapons such as
darts and
bows. The Sasanian cavalry's weaponry has been listed by Libanius as darts, sabres (scimitars?), spears, swords and "
a lance which needed both hands". The
nawak arrow-guide was used to launch long darts. During
Khosrow I's military reforms under
Babak, the repertoire of the cavalry was standardized. According to the
Arabic and
Persian sources of the Islamic period, the pieces of equipment () for a regular Sasanian cavalryman were as follows: The Sasanian lance was based on the long Parthian
kontos that featured a sword-like iron blade. Face masks were used since at least the 4th century AD. The horse-armor covered the torso (with an oval opening for the rider's seat), as well as the head and neck. Before stirrups came into widespread use, the riders relied on a
saddle with "four horn" design for their stability. The Sasanian cavalry was relying more on maneuverability than their Parthian predecessors. The late
aswaran reportedly also employed a device or technique called
panjagan to shoot a volley of five arrows.
Banner , a mythical bird of
Iranian legends and fables Each
asbaran unit would have a Drafsh, or heraldric standard. These would have often included
legendary creatures and
animals. These animals would have included
elephants,
horses,
bears,
lions, and
deer (
ahu); these banners would also include Zoroastrian mythological creatures such as
Bashkuch and the army of
Asbaran would have the
Derafsh Kaviani as their banner. Some
aswaran members with superior bravery, character, and equestrian skills were receiving honorary bracelets, recorded in Islamic sources as
suwārī, with the wearer being called a
musawwar. ==Elite Aswaran==